Navi Mumbai builder ‘blew’ flat buyers’ money on film production

An FIR for cheating was filed against Tirupati Balaji Builders at Khandeshwar police station in Navi Mumbai by one Shivaji Desai, who had bought a flat in a proposed building project named Balaji Residency.George Mendonca | TNN | October 18, 2016, 11:30 IST

NAVI MUMBAI: Builder Mahendra Singh, who was arrested by Khandeshwar police in April for duping over a thousand flat buyers, reportedly blew up a major chunk of their money on producing one Bhojpuri and two Marathi movies.

An FIR for cheating was filed against Tirupati Balaji Builders at Khandeshwar police station in Navi Mumbai by one Shivaji Desai, who had bought a flat in a proposed building project named Balaji Residency. When there was no progress in the construction, Desai sought refund of the amount he had paid. He subsequently filed a criminal complaint earlier this year against the developers when they failed to allot him a flat or refund his money. A police investigation revealed that Singh was the proprietor of around 12 companies and the developer had sold flats to around 1,290 persons.

Singh had launched a production house named Tirupati Balaji Motion Pictures. He and his four business partners, who had floated several construction companies for multiple housing projects in Panvel taluka, also allegedly splurged flat buyer’s money on luxury SUVs.

DCP (crime) Dilip Sawant said that from January till August 2016, a total of six FIRs for cheating and under Maharashtra Owners of Flats Act (MOFA) were registered against Singh and his partners.